Canadian officials showed some optimism on Sunday they were beginning to get on top of the country's most destructive wildfire in recent memory, as favorable weather helped firefighters and winds took the flames southeast, away from oil sands boomtown Fort McMurray, foreign media reports.

"It definitely is a positive point for us, for sure," said Alberta fire official Chad Morrison said. "We're obviously very happy that we've held the fire better than expected. This is great firefighting weather, we can really get in here and get a handle on this fire, and really get a death grip on it."

The wildfire was spreading in Canada's oil sands region in northeast Alberta since last Sunday night.

Alberta's government estimated on Sunday that the fire had consumed 161,000 hectares.